13/04/2025
🐾 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 🐾
In recent months, we’ve seen an alarming number of surrender requests for Cockapoos and Cockapoo puppies, many with 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀. These dogs, bred from a Poodle and Cocker Spaniel, have surged in popularity, but the rise in demand is causing serious, often overlooked consequences.
🛑 Currently, 4.9% of all ads - 23 out of 467 - on Dogs.ie are for litters of Cockapoos, making them the most advertised "breed" on the platform. These puppies are sold with a high price tag, around €500 each, drawing in buyers with their cute appearance and trendy "designer" label. But what happens when the new owners realize the reality of owning one?
💔 Breeders, especially those producing puppies purely for profit, are unlikely to take them back when the owners struggle. That responsibility falls on rescues and pounds who are left to pick up the pieces.
🐶 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼𝘀: 𝗔 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀
Despite their high price, Cockapoos are not a pedigree breed. There are significant drawbacks to choosing a non-pedigree dog, like Cockapoos. With mixed breeds, it’s often difficult or impossible to determine exactly what breed traits will dominate, making it hard to predict their behaviour and size as adults.
🧬 While the disposition of the parents can offer clues to a puppy’s temperament, in many cases, Cockapoo parentage is undocumented or unknown. This contrasts with pedigree dogs, whose medical and behavioral histories are well-recorded. With Cockapoos, health issues can be much more unpredictable.
⚠️ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗕𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱?
Cockapoos are often bought as family pets because of their adorable looks, but their 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘁𝘀 can lead to significant 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 that many families aren’t prepared to handle. Cockapoos are a mix of two highly intelligent working breeds - Poodles and Cocker Spaniels. This leads to a unique set of challenges:
🐾 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: With strong hunting instincts from both sides, Cockapoos can become reactive and may chase small animals if not properly trained.
💔 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆: These dogs thrive on companionship and can develop severe anxiety when left alone for long periods, often leading to destructive behavior.
😟 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝗿-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀: Without proper early socialisation, Cockapoos can become fearful and reactive to unfamiliar situations, people, or other dogs.
🔒 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀: Cockapoos often exhibit 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, a behavior linked to their hunting breed background. Both Cocker Spaniels and Poodles have instincts to protect valuable resources like food or toys. Without training and clear boundaries, these traits can escalate into possessive behaviors and even aggression.
⚠️ These behaviors, especially resource guarding, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀. This is why many Cockapoos, despite their cute appearance, find themselves surrendered to shelters.
💡 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲: 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀
Cockapoos are rarely, if ever, ethically bred. 𝗡𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗱. Reputable breeders are dedicated to improving the health, temperament, and overall quality of their specific breed. They carefully select mates for their dogs to maintain or enhance these traits - not to crossbreed for profit.
Breeders who are committed to improving their breed follow strict guidelines, health tests, and pair their dogs based on genetics, temperament, and health. In contrast, many Cockapoos are bred without these considerations. The primary focus for these breeders is demand and profit, not the welfare of the animals or the long-term health of the breed. The results are dogs that often suffer from poor genetics or behavioral issues that could have been avoided with responsible breeding.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲?
If people stopped purchasing from bad breeders, they would no longer profit from this cruel cycle. When people buy Cockapoos from irresponsible breeders without doing proper research, they’re unknowingly supporting an industry that cares more about money than the welfare of the animals.
✅ 𝗘𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.
Before committing to any dog, especially a "designer" breed like a Cockapoo, it’s crucial to understand their unique needs.
𝗕𝘆 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗼𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱, 𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.
Charity Number: CHY 20704. Registration number YPT200002C in accordance with the Animal Health and Welfare Regulations 2019 (SI No. 681/2019).
